Reported in Roslin O Roslin, Autumn 1999 (Vol 3 No 17).
by Malcolm Caithness
As I write this another full and eventful summer starts its transition to autumn
but as nature heads for its winter break in the Northern Hemisphere conversely
the Clan goes from strength to strength with the work ever increasing.
It really started at the end of July with my now annual visit to the Halkirk
Games on 31 July as guest of the Thursos. The weather was magnificent and a
record crowd of over 5000 people turned out to watch competitors from Norway,
Australia, the United States, England and Scotland battle it out. The local
Caithnessians were well represented but the cup for the champion heavyweight
went abroad. Clan Sinclair and Clan Gunn shared a tent but next year we will
have our own. Notwithstanding this being a "quiet" year a lot of sales of
Sinclair "goods" were made from the tent.
The AGM of the Clan Sinclair Association was well attended and focussed mainly
on the plans for the Millennium Gathering - Sinclair 2000. The excitement and
workload seem to increase in proportion. I spent part of the next week with Ian
Sinclair at Noss Head before visiting the MacDonald's on Skye who have an
excellent Clan Centre. I learned much that will be of help in our plans for Noss
Head.
After a short time back at home Niven and I flew to Norway to be the guests of
the Pillarguri Committee in Otta about three hours north of Oslo. They were part
of the group that we had taken to Caithness in April.
We spent one day touring the area of which Rognvald was Jarl in 871. It was an
incredible feeling to visit the land of one's ancestors - a land of fjords, huge
steep mountains, a wonderful clear air and gracious and friendly people. It is
very similar to the West Coast of Scotland except on a much larger scale. After
leaving that as their home no wonder our ancestors found the flat and fertile
lands of Orkney and Caithness a land of plenty for the farmers.
Niven and I stood on the shore at Klongnes where George Sinclair had landed his
vessels in 1612 on his ill-fated expedition. Did our ancestors sail from the
same spot? We drove back to Otta through Romsdalen, the route George had taken
and there can be little doubt he knew where he was going and sought to avoid
conflict.
The next day we visited various local sites around Otta, including where George
spent his last night, a farm where a survivor from the battle and his
descendants lived, and went to the top of the hill from which Pillarguri is
alleged to have blown her horn. That is part of the "history" of the battle but
she was first mentioned in 1832.
Iain, Annabel and Sarah Laird joined us that evening as did Chris Maile - all
had been on the April trip. In the evening there was a concert and dinner to
honour Ase Kleveland who was this year's winner of the Pillaguri prize.
On the Saturday a small party of us went to George Sinclair's grave where Chris
piped for us and I laid some yellow roses - a sign of friendship. Then I had the
honour to unveil a new plaque to commemorate all those who had fallen in the
battle while Chris again piped for us.
That evening we had a memorable party with all the Committee (one of whom is
also descended from Rognvald and thus a very distant cousin) and lots of new
friends. The highlight was the presentation by Niven of an especially engraved
sword of friendship to the Committee. On it was the Sinclair Coat of Arms, the
date 1398 to commemorate Prince Henry's voyage to the New World and the word
peace in 204 different languages. We were so well looked after and strong and
abiding friendships have been built.
After three days at home I flew to the United States and stayed initially with
Brad and Sindy who met me at Raleigh Durham, in their lovely home at Chapel
Hill. After a day to get used to the heat and humidity - though it was somewhat
dented by the side effects of hurricane Dennis - we all drove down to stay with
eastern Vice President of the Clan, Don Sinclair, and his wife Gloria at
Gainesville. They gathered together a good number of Sinclairs for a very
enjoyable dinner and evening.
The southern hospitality was everything I'd heard of and after a hearty
breakfast we drove back to Chapel Hill. Mary Selver, the Secretary/Treasurer,
flew down from Boston and she, Brad and I drove up to Alexandria the next day.
There we had another enjoyable evening with Tom and Shelagh Sinclair who hosted
a dinner for us. Again there was an excellent number of the clan to enjoy all
the good food.
Unfortunately the hurricane warnings prevented some from coming but I hope to
meet them on another occasion. Before driving back to Brad's we had constructive
meetings on Clan business and its future with Linc Cummings, the brother of the
much-missed Pete, and then the Charities Aid Foundation of America at their
offices.
All four of us then flew to San Francisco to attend the two days of the
Pleasanton Games to which I had been invited to be one of the visiting chiefs.
There was a very constructive meeting to discuss the future of the clan and our
plans in Scotland with Chuck Sinclair and then the Commissioners.
That night before the Games, Mollie Sinclair hosted a well-attended reception,
which gave me a good opportunity to meet and talk to a lot of the clan before
the Games. Gary Sinclair had erected an excellent and welcoming tent in a prime
location and there was a steady stream of visitors. It is no wonder he has won
so many "best tent" awards.
On the first day Brad, Mary and I joined the pageant with Mary Queen of Scots
for the Royal Repast. The year was 1562 and so all conversation was held as if
in those days. It was beautifully enacted in proper costumes (except for us) and
performed in fine style even though the temperature was in the nineties. She
then came with her large entourage to visit the tent and meet all the
commissioners present. She declared the Sinclairs to be her favoured Clan, which
was probably true in real life as well as Bothwell, whom she married, had a
sister Jean who was married to the then Earl of Caithness' son.
The Clan dinner was a great success with about ninety Sinclairs sitting down
together. Mollie and Chuck's wife, Carolyn, organised it beautifully and
Tearlach Sinclair addressed the haggis supported by the Commissioners. We
provided our "in house" singer, pipers and highland dancers - a talented
clan.
The highlight of the second day was the parade of the clans in front of the
grandstand. They lined up with the Sinclairs, the largest in number, on the
right of the line facing the saluting box. When the clans were told to leave I
decided to change the format. With Jeff Brinton, who did sterling work carrying
my banner for so long, we left the box and, with him leading and banner flying
high, led the clan, followed by all the others off the field behind the pipes
and drums and marine brass band.
Almost as moving were the closing ceremonies on both nights. Over 700 pipers,
including the world champions, playing Amazing Grace in front of some
30,000 people and not a dry eye in the house.
The excitement over, the next day Mollie showed us San Francisco and the amazing
redwoods in Muir Wood.
It was an incredible trip with so much achieved, old friendships renewed and
strengthened, new ones made and a lot of business undertaken which will in due
course reap benefits for all the clan.
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